Retainer casing



Dec. 8, 1931; A. L R 1,835,793

RETAINER CASING Filed July 26, 1929 William A Lun'c Patented Dec. 8, 1931 WILLIAM A." LURIE, OF'NE'W ORLEANS, LOUISIANA V RETAINER CASING Application filed July 26, 1929. Serial No. 381,141. i

This invention relates to a retainer casing and particularly to one ofrigid construction whereby the same will keep its shape in use and also support the contents, such as keys, in such manner as to prevent bunching of the same and wherein the keys are presented in orderly arrangement for ready and quick selection of the desired key. I

There are in use at the present time, key 10 cases or containers made of leather or other soft and pliable material. Containers so constructed do not retain proper shape nor prevent the individual keys from becoming twisted or otherwise disarranged. Suchcontainers also allow the keys to become bunched to the point of inconvenience, and also in warmer seasons of the year, the pliable material becomes damp from body moisture, i thereby making it diflicult to 7 remove the same from the pocket. The present containers made of pliable material often times do not remain closed with the result that the containers in use at the present time are of greater inconvenience than convenience.

The present invention overcomes the above and other readily understood difliculties in that it provides a key container with a rigid case comprising two hinged cover members with a key rack so associated with said cover members as to be moved from the same when the case is in fully open position to present the keys in an orderly manner for ready and quick selection. 4

. An object of the invention is to provide a '35 key case of stilf material, such as metal, and

a key rack movable away from the case when in open position to present the keys in convenient manner for quick selection. Another object of the invention. is to pro- 40 vide a key case wherein the keys are carried by a rack which is movable away. from the bottom of the case for ready selection of the desired key. v A further object of the invention is to provide a key case of rigid material, which will not lose its shape nor allow bunching of the keyls when carried in apocket or other receptac e. A still further objectof the invention is to 9 provide a key case which has rigid cover members witha catch for retaining the same in closed position. i 5 The above, other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following. description, accompanying drawings, '55 and appended claims.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and the views thereof are as follows:

V Figure 1 isa perspective view ofthe key case embodying the present invention and showing the same in closed position.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of thecase of Figure 1 in partly opened position.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line TIL-III of Figure 2, showing the parts in fully opened position.

Figure t is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a modified'form ofakey hook support; Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on line .V V of Figure 1, showing one means of interlocking the cover members of the il lustrated form of case., 1

The form of case chosen to exemplify the present invention comprises two cover 'or casemembers'A and B referred to herein as the bottom and top members respectively.- E'ach of the members A and B is formed from stifl" material, such as thin sheet metal, and each comprises a face 1 and 2 respectively with inturned marginal flanges 3 and 4 respectively. Thefacel of the bottom member A terminates at 5 at a point inwardly of the ends of the margin 3. Likewise, the face 2 of thetopB terminates at 6 inwardly ofthe ends of the flange 4. y

The inward ends of the flanges 3 -and4 are perforated to receive a hinge pin 7ffor connecting the parts A and B together in hinged relation. r 5 l The free or'outer ends of the top section B may be provided with any readymeans for engaging the same to open when in closed position. The form of the invention illustrated V shows'the top B provided withathumb hole 8.whereby the top may be readily opened when desired. Other means might be sub.- stituted for'the. thumb hole, such, for in stance, asa lip projecting beyond the flange 3 of the bottom member A;

A key rack C shown in the presentinstance as made of thin, stiff metal, such as thin sheet metal, is fashioned from a sheet of such material to provide a shelf 9, side margins 10 and 11, and a hood 12, which hood is formed by bending back on itself a portion of the material of which the rack member C is made. The ends of the flanges l and 11 are extended to overlie the ends of the hood and are perforated to receive the hinge or pintle pin 7 to enable the rack O to have hinging action on the same.

The front wall 13 of the hood is provided with a plurality of eyes 141- to which are attached a plurality of key hooks 15. The hooks in normal position rest against the ledge '9 of the key rack C and extend a slight distance beyond the free edge of the rack. Keys hooked onto the hooks 15 will, therefore, lie forward of the front edge of the ledge 9, and when the same are in raised position, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, hang downwardly vfrom the ledge for ready selection of the desired key,

Suitable locking means may be provided for securing the'parts A and B in closed position. The means illustrated comprise projections 16 and 17 formed on the flange 4 of the top member B and extending outwardly of the same with correspondingly shaped recesses 18 and 19 formed in the flange '3 of the bottom member A so that the projections 16 and 17 enter the recesses 18 and 19 respectively to lock the parts A and B together whenin closed position, as shown in Figure 1.

The face 2 of the top member 13 terminating at 6 provides a pocket wherein the upper portion of the hood 12 of the key rack 0 lies when the cover members are closed, an-das may be observed in Figure 1. The ledge 9 of the key rack member 0 covers the space between the inner edge of the bottom member A and the hinge pin 7 The operation of the case is as follows:

When it .is desired to select a key carried on any of the hooks e15, thethumb of the user is inserted in the thumb hole 8 and the top member B moves away from. the bottom member A. The top member B is then moved backwardly and downwardly so thatthe inner edge 6 .thereof engages the shelf 9 of the key rack C and raises it to the positionshown in Figure 3. The raising of the key rack C in this manner is limited by the outer portion of the face 2 of the top member B engaging against the inner edge 5 of the bottom member A, as shown in Figure 3.. v

The keys are thus supported in a manner to hang downwardly from the front edge of the ledge '9 for ready selection.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, discloses a-modified mounting .of the hooks on the hinge pin 7.- Instead of using the eyes let :andsecuring thehooks 15 thereto in a loose manner, there are provided aseries of clamps 20 engaging the hinge pin 7 in spaced relation, which clamps provide at the forward end, a socket 21. The hooks 15 in this instance are provided with a ball head 22 for insertion in the socket 21 for rotative movement in said socket. This is to enableready application and manipulation of the hooks 15 to receive a key.

The hooks 15 will, at its outer end, lie against the ledge 9 of the key rack C in the same manner as described with reference to the other figures of the drawings.

A case made in accordance with this 1nvention keeps the keys separated and because of the fact that the case is made of. rigid material, such as metal, prevents bunching of the keys when the container is in apoeket or other receptacle. There is no bulging allowed of the container because ofthe fact that it is made of rigid material; consequently, the same is comfortable to wear in the pocket and also convenient to use. The fact that keys are prevented from 'bunching makes ready selection of the desired key convenient and quick, as the 'keys cannot be mixed in a container made in accordance with this invention, as the same are mixed in containers made of pliable material, such as leathers or fabric.

A key case made in accordance with this invention may be made of metal polished or painted to give any desired finish, or may be covered with leatherette or similar material for giving other finishes than metal.

The case. may also be embellished in any desired manner with initials or insignia of any desired character.

The term key case used in the claims is used generally and not by way of limitation, as the invention is susceptible of use in other embodiments than a key case; hence, the claims are to be construed accordingly.

Theinvention has been described herein more or less precisely, yet is not to be limited theretoas it is understood that changes may be made in the arrangement and proportion of parts, and that equivalents may be substituted without departing from th'espirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A key case including two hinged cover members of metal, a key rack 011 the hinge movable independently of said cover mem bers, key hooks carried by said rack, one of said members being cut away adjacent the "nge and the other .of said members rotatable" about the hinge into the cutaway space of the first mentionedmem-ber to contact said rack .and move it-away from said first mentioned member.

2. A key case comprising a bottom member and a top member of metal, said members having inwardly directed interfitting marginal flanges, the rear ends of said flanges being exrap tended, a hinge pin passing through said extended flanges and connecting said members in hinged relation, a key rack having a forwardly extending ledge on said hinge pin and movable with and independently of said bottom member, said top member ,swingable about said hinge pin to contact'said rack and move it away from said bottom member, and a plurality of key hooks on said rack having the free ends thereof extending beyond said ledge.

3. A retainer casing including hinged cover members of still material, said members'being hingedly connected for opening and closing, a ledge member arranged within said cover members and supported on the hinge connection of said cover members, said ledge member normally resting against one of said cover members when the same are in closed position, and said one cover member being cut away adjacent the hinge, and the other cover member arranged to enter said cut away portion to engage and to move said ledge member away from engagement with the one cover member when the other cover member is moved to fully opened position.

4.. A retainer casing including hinged cover members of stiff material, said members being hingedly connected for opening and closing, a ledge member arranged Within said cover members and supported on the hinge connection of said cover members, said ledge member normally resting against one of said cover members when the same are in closed position, and said one cover member being cut away adjacent the hinge, and the other cover member arranged to enter said cut away portion to engage and to move said ledge member away from engagement with the one cover member when the other cover member is moved to fully opened position, and means associated with said ledge member for supporting articles on the same.

5. A retainer casing including hinger cover members of stiff material, said members being hi ngedly connected for opening and closing, a ledge member arranged within said cover members and supported on the hinge connection of said cover members, said ledge member normally resting against one of said cover members when the same are in closed position,

and said one cover member being cut away adjacent the hinge, and the other cover member arranged to enter said cut away portion to engage and to move said ledge member away from engagement with the one cover member when the other cover member is moved to fully opened position, and means associated adjacent said ledge member for removably supporting articles within said cover members and normally against said ledge member.

6. An article container comprising upper and lower cover members which are hingedly connected together at one end for opening and closing, an article carrying member with in said cover members movably supported adjacent the hinged connection of said members, the lower of said cover members having a portion thereof cut away adjacent the hinge, and the upper member having a smaller portion thereof cut away adjacent the hinge whereby a portion of said upper member intermediate the hinge and the free end of said member is adapted to enter the cut away portion of the lower member to move said article carrying member into position to place articles thereon in position for use when said cover members are relatively turnedon the hinge into open position.

7. An article container comprising upper and lower cover members which are hingedly connected together for opening and closing, an article carrying member within said cover members movably supported adjacent the hinge connection of said members, the lower of said cover members being cut away adjacent the hinge and below said article carrying member, the upper cover member having a portion thereof intermediate the hinge and the free end of said member adapted to enter the cut away portion of the lower member to engage and move said article carrying member into position to present articles thereon in position for use when said cover members are relatively turned on the hinge into open position.

8. A retainer casing comprising a bottom cover member and a top cover member, said members having inwardly directed marginal flanges, the rear ends of said flanges being extended, a hinge pin ext-ending through said extended flanges and connecting said cover members in hinged relation, an article carrying member arranged within said cover members pivotally supported on said hinge pin, said top cover member being swingable about said hinge pin to contact said article carrying member and turn it on said hinge In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at New Orleans, parish of Orleans, La.

WILLIAM A. LURIE. 

